Blog posts tagged with 'Homewood IL chiropractor'

Getting into and out of the car incorrectly can easily harm your back. Unfortunately, some people have jobs and lifestyles that require frequent trips into and out of their automobiles. These people are likely hurting their backs and don’t know it. The correct way to get into your car is to stand with your buttocks towards the car door. From this position, squat or use hip rotation to step backwards into the car seat (FIGURE 20). Then, swing your legs around to the front of the car (FIGURE 20A). The incorrect way to get into the car is to stand sideways next to the door, bend away from the car, and plop into the seat.

You will get out of the car the same way as you entered it, but in the opposite order that you entered it. First, swing your legs around from the front of the car to the side (FIGURE 20B). Next, scoot all the way towards the edge of the seat and get up using your legs, not your back (FIGURE 20C). This method spares your back and decreases the risk of injury.

Back injury is common from sitting incorrectly in the car. The driver’s and passenger’s seats must allow for the most ideal seated position. I do not recommend the driver or passenger try to maintain a dynamic seated position while driving. It is safer for the driver and passenger to ensure their seat is set for the most ideal seated position possible. The driver’s and passenger’s seats should allow for the legs and hips to be at 90 degrees. Use a lumbar support (www.backsafetyandwellness.com/products) to avoid forming the “C shape,” or hump, in the low back. Instead, a ski slope, or inverted “C-shape,” is desired. Do not flex the low back!

Do not shrug your shoulders. Some people place their arms on the door rest, which causes a constant shoulder shrug. Avoid this. In addition, drivers tend to place one arm on the steering wheel and shift their weight to one side. Again, try to avoid this. Rather, place both hands on the steering wheel. The arms and elbows, if possible, should be at 90 degrees.

FIGURE 1

Do not position the head rest too far forward. Ideally, your head should rest against the head rest at the spot directly above the bump on the back of the head. If properly positioned, your head will appear slightly bent backward at 15-20 degrees as in FIGURE 1.

The passenger should follow the same guidelines as the driver. Properly sitting in the car will allow you and your passenger to feel better after a long drive.

Using a phone headset eliminates the possibility of torticollis, or muscles spasms in the neck, from improper phone usage. Repeatedly bending your head to your shoulder to hold a phone causes injury to the joints, muscles, and ligaments in the necK. It is also possible for injuries to these areas to cause referral pain and subsequent headaches. If use of a headset is not possible, alternate holding the phone with your right and left hand.

When you read, do not bend your head too far forward and down. To prevent improperly positioning your head while you read, use a book stand or an inclined reading surface. An incline of 12 degrees is enough to prevent the ill-effects of a bent head posture. However, many tables and reading surfaces are not made with this incline, so it is easier to purchase a book stand to hold your reading material upright (FIGURE 1 and 1A). A bookstand reduces possible muscle spasms, headaches, and pain from prolonged improper head positioning.